The Dark Lord's Rose - A Tom Riddle Love Story

Part I - The Façade

I know that my summary to this story is vague, but it's intentionally so. Like I said, this is going to be a LONG, seven part story and there will be LOTS of twists and turns. This is not a "two people meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after" type of story. It's a mix of canon and non-canon events, but I'm going to try my best to keep the characters as close to their canon versions as possible.

And as a forewarning: in Part I, Tom is a bit OOC and soft, which needed to happen. I have two words for you: character development. This story is going to be 350 chapters long, so trust me, I have plenty of time to turn him into the Tom Riddle we love to hate. (And don't worry, it won't take anywhere close to 350 chapters to do so - like I said, it's mainly going to be in Part I).

Oh, and I'm just going to say this once: the only thing I own are my OCs! Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. With all of that said, I present: The Dark Lord's Rose.

xxxxxxx

September 5, 1943

"We are going to have to make some improvements this year. Headmaster Dippet was not pleased with the way students were running rampant after dark last year. It's your responsibility as Prefects to ensure that the students in your house are in their dormitories at the appropriate time," said Vincent Bryan, the Hogwarts Head Boy.

Rosemary played with her long, dark red braid and avoided making eye contact with Vincent after the comment, as she knew that it was directed at her. She was likely the least strict Prefect in Ravenclaw, frequently breaking curfew herself to attend numerous parties that the Slytherin boys hosted throughout the years. Thankfully, Vincent had yet to inform Headmaster Dippet of her disobedience. She suspected that this was because of the time she didn't turn him in after catching him purchasing a forbidden charmed quill to use on his O.W.L.'s.

Her eyes wandered around the train compartment while she waited for Vincent to change the subject. The Prefects from each house were present and in various states of paying attention. Almost everyone looked relatively blank and unconscious from the droning of the Head Boy and Girl. Well, everyone except for Tom Riddle, who sat up straight in his seat and gave Vincent his undivided attention. It was somewhat surprising that Rosemary didn't find this annoying- usually she hated the "teacher's pet" types. Perhaps it was because Riddle wasn't just acting a certain way to please an authority figure. Rather, he seemed to constantly carry an air of genuine politeness and formality. It wasn't an act; it was just part of who he was. Or at least that was her perception.

It was for this same reason, his air of stringent formality, that they had barely spoken in their first five years at Hogwarts. Rosemary had never seen him act anything but serious. This was true even when Riddle was with Markus Avery, Tom's closest friend and Rosemary's boyfriend of two years.

She turned her attention back to Vincent, who gave them some last minute reminders regarding their Prefect duties and finally dismissed them. Rosemary left the compartment and made her way to the back of the train, looking for her friends.

She spotted Faye, her closest friend, talking to some of their Ravenclaw classmates inside one of the compartments and poked her head in. "Hey everyone", she greeted them and then looked at Faye. "Want to go find Markus and Adam?"

She smiled and nodded. Rosemary knew that Faye had been waiting for this moment all afternoon. Faye had been infatuated with Adam Lestrange for years, so Rose often invited her along when she made plans with Avery.

"I haven't seen him all summer," Faye sighed, fixing her pixie-cut, light blonde hair in her compact mirror as they walked. "Do you think he's seeing anyone? I heard rumors that he and Olive Hornby have been snogging all summer in Spain."